Moorhouse seals back-to-back victories

Jan 30 2008 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HUDDERSFIELD made it back-to-back wins at bottom of the table York University with a 3-2 victory which maintains their third spot in the Yorkshire PremierDivision.

Rob Kelly and Greg Moorhouse forced early saves from the Uni keeper, while Steve Durrans came close to scoring when he was inches away from getting onto the end of a Will Rogers cross.

It was Rogers who finally broke the deadlock, but it was keeper Paul Howarth who kept Huddersfield ahead with a number of fine saves.

York responded to a half-time ‘talking-to’ and came out firing on all cylinders at the start of the second half and had a goal ruled out. But it was Huddersfield who struck first after an incisive break from Rogers, which was taken on by Greg Moorhouse who bypassed three tackles before releasing a shot off the reverse into the bottom corner.

Huddersfield fell asleep midway through the half and York hit back with two quick-fire goals to level, but Moorhouse and Rogers again combined with Moorhouse flicking over the keeper for the winner.

Team: Howarth, Courtney, Townend, Peachey, Gregory, Kaye, Kelly, Moorhouse, Durrans, Rogers, Lovatt.

Hull 2 Lockwood Park Dragons 5

PROLIFIC second team striker Liz Green bagged a hat trick after being drafted into the first team squad for the North League Division I clash at Hull.

Although missing their coach, Dragons were bolstered by Green’s inclusion, plus that of her fellow second teammates Hester Longstaff and Rebecca Hargreaves, and it was Green who was first to strike when she latched onto a pin-point cross from the right wing delivered by Amanda Sowerby.

Hull were clearly stunned and had no reply as Sarah Blackburn combined with Sowerby who finished off the move by rifling the ball home.

And there was more to come as in-form Green rode several challenges from Hull before reverse sweeping the ball into the goal from an impossible angle to send the visitors in 3-0 ahead at the interval.

A passionate, rousing half-time talk inspired Dragons to raise their game even further from the re-start and Laura Benson fired home from a corner.

In the closing stages Hull pushed everyone forward and exploited a lapse in the Dragons defence to pull two goals back.

But Dragons regained their shape with Gail Gerrard and Amy Smith stepping up their defence while Eleanor Townsend pulled off some outstanding reflex saves to deny Hull’s comeback bid.

Captain Kelly Fillingham then linked with Green as she slammed the ball across from the right, with Green deflecting the ball into the roof of the net for her hat trick.

Team: Townsend, Benson, Gerrard, Smeaton, Smith, Fillingham, Armitage, Sowerby, Blackburn, Green, Longstaff, Hargreaves.

City of York 0 Huddersfield III 0

THIS was Huddersfield’s most physical encounter of the season, as they battled to a valuable point from a hard-fought draw in York.

Neither team looked like scoring in the first 20 minutes, both being frustrated by some inconsistent umpiring.

York were awarded a controversial penalty flick, but after Bob McCallum in the Huddersfield goal had informed the referee where he could stand in relation to the goalline, the York penalty-taker fired the ball high and wide.

The midfield and defensive battle continued into the second half with neither outfit looking likely to break the deadlock, although Huddersfield did start to test the home keeper from short corners.

The best chance fell to Tim Blank when he found himself clean through on goal, but his strike was well saved.

Huddersfield then found themselves down to 10 men after some ‘agricultural’ tackling from Andy Swindells who was yellow carded.

The visitors managed to keep York at bay, but just as Swindells returned, Luke Kelly, who had a strong game, pulled up with an injury and Huddersfield had to drop back again and defend until the final whistle.

Team: McCallum, Hamed, Maddeford, Cooper, Taylor, Moscrop, Hindmarsh, Swindells, Kullar, Blank, Kelly.

Bradford Uni 1 Huddersfield V 3

HUDDERSFIELD visited top-table side Bradford and came away with all three points.

Shimmel opened the scoring after the Bradford keeper could only parry a shot in his direction, and Golds made it two early in the second half, when Laithwaite drove a free hit into the D, which was cleverly touched past the stranded keeper.

Huddersfield’s skilful set pieces produced a third, this time from a short corner when Boyle injected the ball at pace and Laithwaite picked his spot.

Bradford pulled one back as they applied pressure in the closing 20 minutes, but Riding and Wood marshalled their defence well to deny their younger opponents.

Team: Durrant, Ridings, Wood, Reed, Kullar, Hayles, Laithwaite, Brennan, Boyle, Dales, Shimmel, Golds.

Huddersfield VI 0 York University II 5

AFTER back-to-back wins last week Huddersfield were well beaten by a York University side, who look a certainty for promotion on this showing.

Two early goals set the tone for York as they played with great awareness and speed, and they nicked a third before half time to put Huddersfield out of it.

The second half continued in the same vein with York rotating their forwards to keep them fresh, and it was only down to several excellent saves from Huddersfield keeper Andrew Boyle that prevented York running up a cricket score.

Huddersfield VII 2 Chapeltown IV 1

VETERAN Ian Cooper blasted in a late winner to give Huddersfield their second win of the season.

The Seventh XI are the development side of the club and there are a lot of promising young players coming through who will soon be pushing players for places in higher teams at Huddersfield.